This invention generally relates to the art of connector assemblies and, particularly, to a system for mounting a connecting device to a substrate with relative floating movement therebetween.
Fiber optic connectors of a wide variety of designs have been employed to terminate optical fiber cables and to facilitate connection of the cables to other cables or other optical fiber transmission devices. A typical fiber optic connector includes a ferrule which mounts and centers an optical fiber or fibers within the connector. The ferrule may be fabricated of such material as ceramic. A ferrule holder or other housing component of the connector embraces the ferrule and may be fabricated of such material as molded plastic. A spring may be disposed within the housing or ferrule holder such that the ferrule is yieldably biased forwardly for engaging another fiber-mounting ferrule of a mating connecting device.
A pair of fiber optic connectors or a connector and another optical fiber transmission device often are mated in an adapter which centers the fibers to provide low insertion losses. The adapter couples the connectors together so that their encapsulated fibers connect end-to-end. The adapter may be an in-line component, or the adapter can be designed for mounting in an opening in a panel, backplane, circuit board or the like.
Various problems continue to be encountered in designing fiber optic connector assemblies or other connector assemblies, including applications involving backplanes, motherboards, daughterboards and the like. Such problems include properly and precisely placing a connector assembly on a substrate, such as a printed circuit board, accommodating misalignment of the connectors during mating, allowing relative floating movement between various components of the system and similar positional-type problems. Other problems simply involve efforts to simplify the design of connector assemblies. The present invention is directed to solving these problems and to providing various improvements in such connector assemblies.
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide a new and improved system for mounting a connecting device to a substrate with relative floating movement therebetween.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the system includes a connector housing and a fastening nut captured by the housing with relative floating movement therebetween, The nut includes a shank portion extending toward the substrate through an opening in a wall portion of the housing. The shank portion of the nut is longer than the thickness of the wall portion of the housing. A fastener is engaged with the substrate and is operatively associated with the fastening nut for tightening the shank portion of the nut against the substrate, leaving the connector housing with floating movement relative to the substrate.
In the exemplary embodiment of the invention, the fastening nut includes an enlarged head portion captured within a cavity in the housing behind the wall portion. A passage extends through the wall portion and through which the shank portion of the fastening nut extends. The passage communicates with the cavity. The passage is wider than the shank portion of the fastening nut. A restricted mouth communicates with at least one of the passage and cavity through which the fastening nut is snap-fit to mount the nut to the housing.
The fastener may comprise a rivet extending through the fastening nut. Other fasteners, such as screws, are contemplated by the invention.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.